1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to absorbent pads. More particularly, the present invention relates to non-slip absorbent food pads.
2. Description of Related Art
An absorbent pad is used for a variety of purposes including food-packaging, medical absorbent, laboratory cleanup, transportation packaging and safety, and personal hygiene. One use of an absorbent pad in the food-packaging industry is for the absorption of fluids secreted from meat, poultry, seafood, and other food products, which may improve the safety, shelf life, and/or the aesthetics of the packaged food. Another component of food packaging is geared towards providing the consumer with an aesthetically appealing presentation at the display counter. To this end, packaged food is typically arranged and/or displayed in various configurations.
Absorbent pads are generally square or rectangular with straight edges. The absorbent core material is often a single layer of cellulose fluff, airlaid non-woven, or single or multiple layers of combined tissue. However, certain absorbent packaging designs and customer presentations require a unique and complex absorbent structure in order to meet their specific requirements. In the case of vertical and/or shingled presentations, there is a commercial need for absorbent pads that can eliminate the sliding of food products during such a display at the retail level, yet have sufficient design parameters to facilitate effective fluid absorption in order to help with a “dry package” presentation.
It is important, particularly in food packaging, that the presentation to the customer is such that the consumer is enticed to purchase the product. Therefore with a shingled display presentation, whether created by actual product being shingled or angled shelving display orientation, the packer is concerned with the location of the food product with respect to the tray and the visibility of purge within the package. Since a typical absorbent food pad has a surface with a Coefficient of Friction of only about 0.65 to about 1.0 (as measured on a Kayeness Coefficient of Friction tester), a problem that arises with such a display orientation is that the food product slides to the bottom of the tray, leaving an exposed section of the absorbent pad above the food product, causing an undesirable package presentation. Additionally, with the food product sliding to the bottom of the tray and the absorbent pad situated above the food, there is not sufficient absorption of the purge emanating from the food product.
Therefore, there remains a need in the art for a non-slip absorbent food pad that minimizes or eliminates food product slippage during a vertically oriented and/or shingled display presentation and that absorbs the purge emanating from the food product.